London, UK-22nd March, 2006-GeoTrust Europe, the leader in identity verification, credentialing and validation solutions for online transactions, today announced a new Code Signing Product Suite to help application developers secure code deployed over public and private networks. GeoTrust is now offering certificates that authenticate, digitally sign and ensure the integrity of code for developers of desktop applications for Microsoft Authenticode and Sun Java, as well as developers of Smartphone and PDA applications for the Windows Mobile environment.

GeoTrust uses its cryptographic roots to provide its code signing certificates, which have been pre-embedded in Windows, Windows Mobile and Java software. The certificates allow developers to add a 'digital signature' to code before it is submitted or transmitted over networks or to devices. This acts as a 'digital shrink-wrap', immediately highlighting to end users if the code has been corrupted or altered since being signed. In many cases, the user's Operating System can prevent non-signed code to be run, or alternatively can present warnings. GeoTrust Code Signing solutions enable developers to provide code that is permitted to run and that replace the warnings with positive assertions of integrity. This significantly reduces the risk of users running applications that may be malware or malicious code.

The new GeoTrust code signing suite is comprised of several certificates with specific functions, including:

Signing Credential for Windows Mobile: The application security model for Windows Mobile is based on code signing. Most programs, such as productivity applications and games, call for unprivileged trust. However, gaining access to many operating system functions requires Microsoft Mobile2Market privileged execution mode. GeoTrust offers both privileged and unprivileged certificates at the same price and the certificates can be used to digitally sign Pocket PC as well as Smartphone files.

"In our increasingly online society we download more and more applications to our PCs and mobile devices, so the risk of encountering malicious code masquerading as genuine applications increases," comments Steve Waite, marketing director, GeoTrust Europe, "By providing services for developers to sign their code, we provide a means for such developers to identify their applications as legitimate, which helps drive the developer's software business but also protects the end user at the same time."

When issuing code signing certificates, GeoTrust verifies that the developer is tied to a legitimate organisation and that the individual is authorised to sign code on behalf of that organisation. This high-assurance solution ensures the developer or Independent Software Vendor (ISV) is known before trusting and running the code.

"We have found the GeoTrust code signing services to be a fast and cost effective solution to secure our mobile code." comments Jacek Mi of Polish based software developer Media Office, "Our organisation was validated quickly and can now sign our production code with ease - ensuring our mission critical applications can be securely downloaded and run by our customers without any worrying warnings and safe in the knowledge the code was genuinely written by Media Office"

Availability
GeoTrust code signing solutions are immediately available at a special introductory promotional price. Developers and ISVs working with GeoTrust also receive superior customer service from the fastest growing certificate authority in the world. Additional information is available at www.geotrusteurope.com/products/code_signing/index.asp.

About GeoTrust, Inc.
GeoTrust is the leader in identity verification, credentialing and validation solutions, and the fastest growing Certificate Authority, according to market research firm Netcraft. Its products include web security services for secure e-commerce transactions, identity verification for consumers, managed security services for enterprises, digital signing for documents and computer code, and TrustWatch ( www.TrustWatch.com ), a free toolbar and search site that helps consumers recognise whether a site has been verified and is safe for the exchange of confidential information. With more than 100,000 companies worldwide using its technology for online security, GeoTrust has rapidly become the second largest digital certificate provider in the world. The company recently acquired TC TrustCenter, a leading German Certificate Authority and provider of advanced enterprise security and smart card solutions. Visit www.geotrusteurope.com .

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